Pocket-sized voice recorders are widely used as a convenient way to take notes, store information and create documents in audio form. Among other applications, the recorded information may be transcribed to present the information in written form.
In recent years, compact audio recorders have been proposed in which the audio information is stored as digital data in a solid state memory. In some cases, a removable memory card is used as the storage medium.
Prior art embodiments of compact digital audio recorders have, to date, fallen short in terms of making it convenient for the user to manage the audio files stored in the recording device or removable recording medium. The prior art has also failed to provide for satisfactory integration of portable digital audio recorders with other information management devices, such as personal computers and computer networks. Another subject not adequately addressed by the prior art is how to conveniently transfer digital audio files from portable recorders to other devices such as PC""s.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide for convenient management of audio information stored in a portable digital audio recorder.
It is a further object of the invention to provide effective and convenient interaction between a portable digital recorder and a personal computer.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a voice data management system, including a portable digital voice recorder which includes a housing shaped and sized to fit in a user""s hand, a microphone secured to the housing, and a memory device mounted in the housing for storing voice data files which correspond to audio signals generated by the microphone, the memory device also storing respective status data for each voice data file stored by the memory device, the status data being for the purpose of indicating a status of the respective voice data file, and the system further including a personal computer, structure for providing a data signal transmission path connecting the memory device to the personal computer, and a control device for receiving an upload signal and for responding to the received upload signal by selecting ones of the voice data files on the basis of the respective status data for the voice data files and uploading the selected voice data files to the personal computer by way of the data signal transmission path.
According to another aspect of the invention, the control device referred to in the preceding paragraph changes the status data for the uploaded voice data files after the same have been uploaded to the PC in response to the upload signal.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of uploading voice data files from a portable digital voice recorder to a data processing device, the method including the steps of storing voice data files in the portable digital voice recorder, associating respective status data with each voice data file stored in the portable digital voice recorder, interfacing the portable digital voice recorder to the data processing device to permit data communication between the recorder and the data processing device, and selectively transferring the stored voice data files from the portable digital voice recorder to the data processing device in accordance with the respective status data associated with each stored voice data file.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the personal computer in the above-described voice data management system provides a graphical user interface which allows a user of the personal computer to cause the personal computer to generate a data management signal, and the data management signal is transmitted from the personal computer to the control device, which is part of the portable digital voice recorder. The control device responds to the data management signal by changing the header data associated with at least one of the voice data files stored in the memory device.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, voice data file header data is uploaded from the portable digital recorder to the personal computer without uploading the corresponding voice data files.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a portable digital voice recorder, including the steps of storing voice files in the recorder, storing header data in the recorder in association with the stored voice files, interfacing the recorder to a personal computer which includes a display, and displaying on the PC display icons corresponding to the voice files stored in the portable recorder. Still further, the icons displayed by the PC may include alphanumeric information corresponding to the header data stored in the recorder, and the personal computer may be operated to change the alphanumeric information included in the displayed icons, and in response, the corresponding header data in the portable recorder is also changed.
The apparatus and practices provided in accordance with the invention permit the user to apply the file management capabilities of a personal computer to managing voice data files stored in a compact digital voice recorder which is connected to the PC. This overcomes limitations of user interfaces commonly provided in compact audio recorders. In addition, the process of transferring voice data files from the compact recorder to the personal computer is optimized, thereby further aiding in management of voice information. With the apparatus and practices described herein, a compact digital audio recorder can be utilized as a highly efficient, portable and flexible input device through which voice-generated information can be conveniently introduced into powerful desk- and enterprise-based data processing equipment.